Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-07-01
FRIDAY MORNING. JULY. 1. 1887
AN ANCIENT QUESTION WHICH
GIVES MODERNsTROUB

sar-joyful occasions growing out Of re-
turning fraternal regard-to see how gin
qerly the orators on either side touch the.
question of whether the men on the other
side were fright" Especially is it tough
Job for the Union orator who has been
taught that the Confederates were ''trai-
tors,'' to frame his references so as to give
10 offense to those in front of him, and as
little to those be has left at home. This
title word right'' is precious stone to
which the friction of great revolution
las cut many facets and which gives differ
mt rays when viewed at different angles.
TO the popular mind of the South it makes
little difference at this late day whether
= Q world thinks it was constitutionally
RI ght or wrong: so that nothing mean isat-
ached to its acts; so that nothing it did
it sought to be tainted with dish0nor. The
sgreacherous, grand larceny idea of the
civil war which was so much in vogue at
ne North fol. some years, and is still Gull
Sted by the Presidential aspirants of the
1publican party is extremely offensive
N2@NS =t1pdaoid6 W CtCly OOuuaOAh Adttis csho
no hnds it hard to preserve his temper suf
fcienGly to treat it. with the contempt it
deserves. 1t is very we'll that every now
and then-just as denominations have sta
ted times for doctrinal sermons with which
S would be bad policy to worry their con-
legations often, and whose matter after
"a is small thing compared with the
graat truths oftener to be set forth-that
Chg American children whose ances-
tors were in the Confederate army
sjQald be made clearly to understa nd that
20 part Of the American nation has ever
'a9 traitors to it, and that the great con-
Under the oyerruling of Divine
,0Wer-found its il mediate cause in a
vocation that would have caused war
stween other peoples, in ten weeks instead
e tJen years. For it ~s75s ~ tie ten years
receeding the war, that four States of the
North passed laws multiplying the National
AVIS which guaranteed the property held
n the Southern States, and confiscated it
when it touched their soil. In eight 9TH
ar States the popular mind, if not the State
legislatures, had passed and was enforc-
Ing similar propositions of grand larceny.
Among European States single case of
such fragrant violation of compact would
bring on war as soon as the offended ma
tion could put a force in the field. 1t was
20 resist grand larceny, not to commit it,
hat the fathers of the present
generation at the South went to war
There might have been other motives
among the governing Glass; but this was
6he idea of tie masses.
Having the provocation, a provocation
recognized among all civilized govern
nents, the South determined on resistance.
here was no conspiracy, no hiding. no
mean secrecy about it, 1t was proclaimed
il. Congress, on the court green's, in the
Dplpits, in the press, with the loudness and
osGentation of a circus band wagon. Plans
81 campaigns were spread over editorial
les by journalistic generals, as if in fear
that the other half Of the United States
u sght not think that we knew all about
War. There may have been a good deal
that was foolish about our going to war
and there was-but our worst enemies
will not say there was anything mean or
ssnaaking. Our leaders were so afraid
At it might look dishonorable to take
iNyernment by surprise that after no.
4 of their intentions. they waited
{ cal party got in power which
apetite for war and was
sg:3ith people it had
$500 s'ly felt ugly TO-
q ss ssious of uuarmed
/ Ia whose homes
s. another race in
& sss tEeiye mil
ssSsss navy and all
= lplI8Bta 81 war afteE having given
laem due notice that tney intended to
trash their way out Of Union, to which
TOUR States had broken the compact. It
vas the height of human folly, but it was
ESQ the summit of human chivalry,
We say 1t was folly be cause that must
he desperate folly which is hopeless, and
, miraculously successful would be more
{ astrous than if it had failed. Had we of
: South succeeded. both sections would
: LAY be supporting great standing ar
lies, with two other armies of office
holders at the custom-houses along the
imn1snse &io4 Ter: questions of territorial
Tif g on fugitive slaves ever suspending
Cha sweT5 ST wsa over our heads. and the
siFeaaed CONSUMPTION ever invading homes
70 carry 9f men to be made soldiers of.
If q powerful Republic respected
&c, it would soon have been
Siittle municipalities at war with
i 3 s5beG, 4eared and respected by no
HI bA5 food For the rapacity Of the
Nd. iatt HoaY as it was, it was
morally rlgg5 and as much founded
on right as Toe Revolution of '76. In
both cases it was whether a people
would stand still and suffer their guaran-
teed rights to be stripped from them, or
whether they should kick the government
.2~efboard. In one case they had France
81 aelp Flick, and In the other the whole
world stoed by and saw the minority
Kicked. II sheTs was wrong in our revo-
Luton. the North had its full share of if in
having provoked it by G1any wrongs
though the government had n3t--and as
q matter of fact our war was more 9Th
Inc North than with the government. We
gues ton if any Southern soldier ever
thoa ght he was fighting the government,
or even thought of the government at all.
Take him, rank and file, and he was fight
ing THE Yankees" both for what they
had done and what he suspected they
would do if he didn't thrash them then.
Lere was not faint of traitor about
70 to anybody, on the contrary he was
: 10 6auareat and most nnsaI6sh of com